Carrying Aid

ABSTRACT

A carrying aid that transfers weight from a load supported by shoulder straps, such as a backpack or portable tree stand, to the user&#39;s hip area is disclosed. The carrying aid includes a weight supporting region and a fastener region. The weight supporting region forms a trough around a portion of the load that reduces the risk of the load from being dislodged from the weight supporting region. A fastener attaches the carrying aid to the user&#39;s belt. The carrying aid can be molded, shaped, or formed from a single piece of material such as a metal, plastic, or polycarbonate. The carrying aid is easy to attach and remove from the user&#39;s belt and the load is easily inserted and removed from the trough formed by the weight supporting region. The carrying aid is lightweight and easily stored when not in use. This carrying aid is particularly useful for deer hunters or nature enthusiasts carrying shoulder strap-supported portable tree stands.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject matter of this application relates to an apparatus for supporting an item which is otherwise carried by shoulder straps. More particularly, it relates to an apparatus that shifts a portion of the weight of such items as a backpack or portable tree stand from the user's shoulders to their hip area.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People often need to carry relatively heavy items for somewhat long durations. For example, a student will often need to carry a number of books, pencils, a laptop, and snacks for canvassing campus between classes. As another example, a hunter or wildlife photographer may need to carry a portable tree stand deep into the woods in order to survey an area. These loads can easily be as much as 40 pounds or more and may need to be carried for several hundred yards.

Carrying such a load across the back, supported by shoulder straps, offers obvious advantages over a person carrying the load with their arms. One advantage is that the downward stress of the load is distributed in line with the user's coronal plane, rather than in front of the user as would be the case if carried in the user's arms; further, if carried by the user's arms, those arms can fatigue when supporting a weight over a long period. The positioning of the load so that it is held across the back by shoulder straps allows the user to carry much larger loads, for much greater durations that would be otherwise possible. Another advantage to carrying a weight across the back is that the positioning of the lowest portion of the load is unlikely to encumber normal leg and arm movement during walking or running; but perhaps the greatest advantage to a shoulder-strap supported load is that the user's arms are left free to interact with the user's environment.

Shoulder-supported weights also have a number of disadvantages associated with them. One example is that because the weight is anchored to the user's body at the shoulders, the user's effective center of gravity is shifted upwards towards the user's head. The resulting skewed center of gravity may destabilize the user. Perhaps the largest problem with these shoulder-supported loads is the stress they place on the musculature and soft tissues of the user's back, neck and shoulders. These stresses are increased if the load is overly large or improperly carried. In certain cases, the carried weight can even cause spinal compression or impair the proper function of the of the intervertebral discs.

A person's hip area has a great capacity to support and carry weight and certain technologies have been adapted to take advantage of that fact. For example, some backpacks have hip belts that transfer some of the carried weight to the hip area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a carrying aid apparatus that shifts weight from a load that would otherwise be fully supported by shoulder-straps to the user's hips. The invention itself is relatively small and light, and can be easily and reversibly attached to the user's belt or an otherwise adapted clothing article. Use of the invention reduces problems associated with a user carrying a load supported by shoulder straps such as user fatigue and instability due an upward shift of the user's center of gravity.

In accordance with the invention, the weight supporting region of the invention partially supports an otherwise shoulder-strap borne load and transfers some of the weight to the user's hips via an attachment to a belt or similar strap worn around the user's waist.

The weight supporting region of the invention is formed by two largely parallel vertical side portions and a base horizontal portion so that the weight supporting region resembles the lower portion of a hook when viewed from the side when in use. The side portion of the weight supporting region proximal to the user when in use terminates with a fastener that easily and reversibly connects to a belt or similar clothing article worn by the user.

The shape of the weight supporting region cradles the otherwise shoulder strap-supported weight and holds it in place between the region's side portions so that the chance of wide deflection of the load from the user's back is reduced as compared to what such chance would be if the weight supporting region did not have a distal vertical side portion.

The side of the weight supporting region closest to the user may be of the same length as the other such parallel side or it may be longer. Changes of this length may be beneficial to lower the user's center of gravity or to ensure that the weight supporting region is at a proper height to support the otherwise shoulder strap-supported load.

The parallel side portion of the weight supporting region closest to the user when in use extends at least to the top of the user's belt or similar article and extends between the belt or similar article and the user when in use. The fastener is an extension of this parallel side that extends from over the top of the belt or similar article downward, forming a hook-like terminal section adapted to easily and reversibly attach to the user's belt or similar clothing article The terminal portion of the fastener region is largely parallel to the weight supporting region's largely parallel sides.

The fastener may optionally terminate with an end that is angled away from the user when the invention is is use. This outwardly angled portion operates as a guide, easing placement of the fastener over a belt or similar article.

The invention may be formed by a single piece of materials such as metals, plastics, or polycarbonates. The invention may optionally be partially or completely coated by a material such as a plastic. Such a material coating could increase friction between the invention and the otherwise shoulder strap-supported load, as well as cushion the load, thereby reducing the incidences of scratching or damage to the load or to the invention itself.

To use the invention, the fastener is hooked onto the user's belt or similar article and the user adjusts the shoulder straps supporting the load located across the user's back so that the load rests at least partially on the base portion of the weight supporting region and is cradled by the two parallel sides of the weight supporting region.

The carrying aid is lightweight, compact, and easily installed and removed, yet effectively shifts weight from shoulder strap-supported loads to the users's hips, alleviating the physical stresses associated with carrying loads solely by shoulder straps and increasing the user's stability by lowering the user's center of gravity.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention as attached to a user's belt.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention from a different angle that that shown in FIG. 2

FIG. 4 is a perspective partial view of an embodiment of the invention in use, partially supporting a portable tree stand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description and drawings referenced therein illustrate an embodiment of the invention. They are not intended to limit the scope. Those familiar with the art will recognize that other embodiments of the inventive concepts are possible. All such alternative embodiments should be considered within the scope of the invention.

Each reference number consists of three digits. The first digit corresponds to the figure number in which that reference number is first shown. Reference numbers are not necessarily discussed in the order of their appearance in the figures.

For convenience, the term “belt” will be used in the following description, however that term should be understood to include straps or other similar articles.

This invention assists a user [101] in carrying a shoulder strap-supported load such as a backpack or portable tree stand by transferring a portion of the carried weight to the hip area of the user [102]. FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of the invention as attached to a user's belt [103].

The invention [104] includes a weight supporting region [105] and a fastener region [106]. The fastener region attaches to the user's belt by looping from between the inside surface of the user's belt and the user [101], over the user's belt [103], and then extends downward over the outer face of the user's belt [107], forming a hook-like structure. The fastener is held in place on the user's belt largely by gravity.

More specifically, the invention includes a weight supporting region [105] formed by a base portion [201], a first side portion [202] and a second side portion[203]. When the invention is attached to a user's best by the fastener region [106], said first side portion is distal to the user and said second side region is proximal to the user.

The weight supporting region's first side portion has an inner surface [301] and an outer surface [204]. The weight supporting region's second side portion also has an inner surface [205] and an outer surface [302] . Said first side portion has a top terminus [206] and a bottom end portion [207]. Said second side portion has a top end portion [208] and a bottom end portion [209]. The base portion has a top surface [210] and a bottom surface [303]. The base portion has end portions distal [211] and proximal [212] to the user when the invention is fastened to the user's belt. The base region's distal end portion forms a roughly 90 degree angle with the weight supporting region's first side portion's bottom end portion [207, 211]. The weight supporting region's base portion's proximal end portion forms a roughly 90 degree angle with the weight supporting region's second side portions said bottom end portion [209, 212]. The first side region's inner surface [301] faces the second side's inner surface [205]. In the most preferred embodiment, the base region is continuous with said first and second side portions. In one embodiment, the top surface of the weight supporting region's bottom portion, and optionally, the inner surfaces of the weight supporting region's first and second side portions, are partially or completely coated by a rubber or plastic.

The fastener region is formed by an extension of the weight supporting region's second side portion, but for clarity is discussed herein as a separate functional unit.

The fastener region has and inner surface [213, 304] and an outer surface [214, 305]. The fastener's inner surface consists of a first portion [215] that faces away from the user when the invention in is use, and a second portion [306] that faces towards the user when the invention is in use. Said fastener's outer surface consists of a first portion [305] that faces the user when the invention is in use, and a second portion [216] that faces away from the user when the invention is in use. Said fastener has a sharply angled portion at said fastener's apex [217] so that said fastener forms a hook-like structure. When in use, the first and the second portions of the fastener's inner surface surround the user's belt, thereby fastening the invention to the user. The fastener is largely held in place by gravity, but in one embodiment, the inner surface of the fastener is partially or completely coated by a rubber or plastic that would grip the user's belt, further securing the invention in place.

When the invention is used to aid carrying a shoulder strap-supported portable tree stand, the stand, or a portion of the stand [401], rests on the top surface of the invention's base portion [201]. The shoulder straps can be lengthened or shortened, as appropriate, to adjust the distribution of the load between the user's shoulders and hip area.

As described above, the carrying aid provides a number of advantages to the user, some of which have been described, and others that are inherent to the invention. It should be apparent that various changes may be made to the carrying aid without departing from the scope of the invention, the particular embodiments described herein are merely preferred or exemplary embodiments and do not further limit the scope of the invention beyond the following claims. 

1. A carrying aid that shifts weight from a load otherwise supported by shoulder straps to the user's hip area comprising: a. a weight supporting region formed by a base portion having a proximal and distal end, a first side portion distal to the user having a top and bottom end wherein said bottom end is connected to said base region's said distal end, and a second side portion proximal to the user having a top and bottom end wherein said bottom end is connected to said base region's said proximal end, such that the first and second side regions are substantially parallel to each other and largely perpendicular to the base region; and b. a fastener extending from said top end of said second side region that is adapted to attaching the carrying aid to a belt or clothing article, so that said base region is largely perpendicular to the user's coronal plane when the carrying aid is attached to the user's belt or clothing article by said fastener.
 2. The carrying aid of claim 1 in which the carrying aid is molded, shaped, fabricated, or formed from a single piece of material.
 3. A carrying aid as in claim 1 in which the carrying aid is metallic.
 4. A carrying aid as in claim 1 in which the carrying aid is plastic.
 5. A carrying aid as in claim 1 in which the carrying aid is a polycarbonate.
 6. A carrying aid as in claim 1 in which said second side region extends further from said base region than said first side region extends from said base region.
 7. A carrying aid as in claim 2 in which the carrying aid is metallic.
 8. A carrying aid as in claim 2 in which the carrying aid is plastic.
 9. A carrying aid as in claim 2 in which the carrying aid is a polycarbonate.
 10. A carrying aid as in claim 2 in which said second side region extends further from said base region than said first side region extends from said base region. 